Legislative frameworks that support gender equality are crucial for addressing structural inequalities, protecting women's rights, and achieving gender‐equitable land degradation neutrality (LDN) outcomes. This study examines the extent to which national‐level policies and legislation governing LDN and related sectors incorporate gender considerations and assesses their potential to advance gender‐equitable LDN outcomes. The analysis focuses on Nigeria—a country severely affected by land degradation and a long history of gender marginalisation. We applied a gender analytical framework that captures three broad levels of gender engagement: (1) gender mainstreaming, (2) experience of gender and (3) the degree of action taken to reduce gender inequality. The analysis revealed three main findings. First, foundational laws and outdated policies, including the Nigerian Constitution and the Land Use Act, are largely ineffective in advancing gender‐equitable LDN. These laws use gender‐neutral language that obscures systemic disparities and lack enforceable mechanisms to protect women's land rights and ensure their participation in governance. Second, more recent policies (developed within the past decade) demonstrate moderate to high levels of gender engagement. They incorporate gender‐focused measures such as advocating for women's land rights, promoting gender‐balanced decision‐making, ensuring gender‐sensitive financing and improving gender‐disaggregated data. Third, despite Nigeria's stated gender commitments, gender integration within LDN‐related laws remains largely symbolic, offering superficial acknowledgment of gender disparities without prioritising enforceable measures to address structural inequalities. Advancing gender‐equitable LDN outcomes in Nigeria requires shifting from symbolic recognition to enforceable reforms that challenge discriminatory norms and practices. This study offers actionable insights for policymakers in Nigeria and other LDN‐committed countries seeking to enhance gender integration in legal frameworks.
{"title":"Gender and Land Degradation Neutrality ( LDN ): Evaluating Nigeria's Legislative Framework for Achieving Gender‐Equitable LDN Outcomes","authors":"Cynthia Nneka Olumba, Chukwudi Charles Olumba","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70357","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70357","url":null,"abstract":"Legislative frameworks that support gender equality are crucial for addressing structural inequalities, protecting women's rights, and achieving gender‐equitable land degradation neutrality (LDN) outcomes. This study examines the extent to which national‐level policies and legislation governing LDN and related sectors incorporate gender considerations and assesses their potential to advance gender‐equitable LDN outcomes. The analysis focuses on Nigeria—a country severely affected by land degradation and a long history of gender marginalisation. We applied a gender analytical framework that captures three broad levels of gender engagement: (1) gender mainstreaming, (2) experience of gender and (3) the degree of action taken to reduce gender inequality. The analysis revealed three main findings. First, foundational laws and outdated policies, including the Nigerian Constitution and the Land Use Act, are largely ineffective in advancing gender‐equitable LDN. These laws use gender‐neutral language that obscures systemic disparities and lack enforceable mechanisms to protect women's land rights and ensure their participation in governance. Second, more recent policies (developed within the past decade) demonstrate moderate to high levels of gender engagement. They incorporate gender‐focused measures such as advocating for women's land rights, promoting gender‐balanced decision‐making, ensuring gender‐sensitive financing and improving gender‐disaggregated data. Third, despite Nigeria's stated gender commitments, gender integration within LDN‐related laws remains largely symbolic, offering superficial acknowledgment of gender disparities without prioritising enforceable measures to address structural inequalities. Advancing gender‐equitable LDN outcomes in Nigeria requires shifting from symbolic recognition to enforceable reforms that challenge discriminatory norms and practices. This study offers actionable insights for policymakers in Nigeria and other LDN‐committed countries seeking to enhance gender integration in legal frameworks.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145938042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gully erosion dominates soil degradation in small watersheds. While vegetation mitigates gully development, its effectiveness depends on type, partly through altering soil‐root shear strength. Few in situ studies assess this effect. Hence, this study quantified soil‐root shear strength differences between gullies covered by grass versus grass‐shrub mixed communities on the Loess Plateau. In situ shear tests measured peak shear stress and displacement, generating shear stress‐displacement curves. Peak shear stress and strain energy derived from these curves were calibrated to 15% soil moisture to characterize soil‐root shear strength. Results showed the average peak shear stress for grass‐covered gullies (9.32 kPa) was significantly higher than for mixed vegetation gullies (6.25 kPa). Shear strength decreased initially then increased with depth. The critical depths for this peak shear stress transition were 20 cm (grass) and 30 cm (mixed). Variations in shear strength with vegetation type and depth were primarily controlled by soil properties and root attributes. Peak shear stress exhibited a significant positive association with soil cohesion. Strain energy showed significant positive relationships with root mass density and effective root density. Soil organic matter content and aggregate stability enhanced strain energy through direct and indirect effects. These findings provide insights into the mechanical mechanisms by which vegetation type enhances gully soil strength and controls land degradation in semi‐arid regions.
{"title":"Soil‐Root Shear Strength of Gullies Covered by Different Vegetation Types on the Loess Plateau of China","authors":"Ruipeng Zhu, Guanghui Zhang, Shukun Xing","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70435","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70435","url":null,"abstract":"Gully erosion dominates soil degradation in small watersheds. While vegetation mitigates gully development, its effectiveness depends on type, partly through altering soil‐root shear strength. Few in situ studies assess this effect. Hence, this study quantified soil‐root shear strength differences between gullies covered by grass versus grass‐shrub mixed communities on the Loess Plateau. In situ shear tests measured peak shear stress and displacement, generating shear stress‐displacement curves. Peak shear stress and strain energy derived from these curves were calibrated to 15% soil moisture to characterize soil‐root shear strength. Results showed the average peak shear stress for grass‐covered gullies (9.32 kPa) was significantly higher than for mixed vegetation gullies (6.25 kPa). Shear strength decreased initially then increased with depth. The critical depths for this peak shear stress transition were 20 cm (grass) and 30 cm (mixed). Variations in shear strength with vegetation type and depth were primarily controlled by soil properties and root attributes. Peak shear stress exhibited a significant positive association with soil cohesion. Strain energy showed significant positive relationships with root mass density and effective root density. Soil organic matter content and aggregate stability enhanced strain energy through direct and indirect effects. These findings provide insights into the mechanical mechanisms by which vegetation type enhances gully soil strength and controls land degradation in semi‐arid regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145938022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yao Zhang, Rui Hu, Tian Li, Zehao Zhang, Zhanyong Fu, Kaikai Dong, Jinzhao Ma, Zhaohua Lu, Jingkuan Sun
Analyzing the spatiotemporal evolution and driving forces of land‐use change in the Yellow River Delta is essential for optimizing territorial spatial layout, enhancing ecological protection, and advancing high‐quality regional development. This study is intended to clarify the quantitative link between land‐use transitions and ecological environmental effects, providing an analytical basis for revealing their coupling mechanisms and future land‐use trajectories. Drawing upon land‐use data from 1980 to 2020, this study integrated the ecological quality index, ecological contribution rate, and the Patch‐generating Land Use Simulation model to conduct a quantitative assessment of land‐use transformation and its ecological implications. It also projected the land‐use layout in 2030 under three scenarios. The findings indicated a continuous expansion of production and living space. During the early phase of the study period, ecological space consistently declined, indicating a transition from ecological to production land. Toward the end of the period, ecological space gradually recovered. The ecological quality index rose from 0.279 to 0.326, with a moderate increase in the area categorized as high‐quality. Temperature, population density, and proximity to tertiary roads were identified as key drivers of land‐use transitions. Scenario‐based forecasts suggest that ecological land will experience limited growth by 2030. Therefore, restricting the encroachment of productive land on ecological space is vital for promoting long‐term sustainability in the region.
{"title":"Eco‐Environmental Effects and Driving Forces of Land Use Transition in the Yellow River Delta","authors":"Yao Zhang, Rui Hu, Tian Li, Zehao Zhang, Zhanyong Fu, Kaikai Dong, Jinzhao Ma, Zhaohua Lu, Jingkuan Sun","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70414","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70414","url":null,"abstract":"Analyzing the spatiotemporal evolution and driving forces of land‐use change in the Yellow River Delta is essential for optimizing territorial spatial layout, enhancing ecological protection, and advancing high‐quality regional development. This study is intended to clarify the quantitative link between land‐use transitions and ecological environmental effects, providing an analytical basis for revealing their coupling mechanisms and future land‐use trajectories. Drawing upon land‐use data from 1980 to 2020, this study integrated the ecological quality index, ecological contribution rate, and the Patch‐generating Land Use Simulation model to conduct a quantitative assessment of land‐use transformation and its ecological implications. It also projected the land‐use layout in 2030 under three scenarios. The findings indicated a continuous expansion of production and living space. During the early phase of the study period, ecological space consistently declined, indicating a transition from ecological to production land. Toward the end of the period, ecological space gradually recovered. The ecological quality index rose from 0.279 to 0.326, with a moderate increase in the area categorized as high‐quality. Temperature, population density, and proximity to tertiary roads were identified as key drivers of land‐use transitions. Scenario‐based forecasts suggest that ecological land will experience limited growth by 2030. Therefore, restricting the encroachment of productive land on ecological space is vital for promoting long‐term sustainability in the region.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145937536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The initial stage of vegetation recovery in post‐mining ecosystem represents a critical window for ecological restoration. However, the adaptive mechanisms of soil microbial communities during this period remain largely unclear. In this study, soils from an early restoration process in a mining area (restoration for 0, 1, 2, 3 years, and a control of CK) were analyzed to investigate changes in soil microbial diversity, community composition, assembly processes, and co‐occurrence network structure. The results indicated that during early recovery, there were no significant changes in the diversity and structure of soil bacterial and fungal communities, and the key dominant microbial phyla remained consistent. Stochastic processes played an important role in microbial community assembly in the mining areas, with drift particularly crucial in shaping the soil fungal community. While fungal communities showed a stronger association with environmental changes, the soil bacterial community became more stable and the co‐occurrence network became more complex in the early recovery stage, demonstrating stronger buffering capacity in mining environments with greater environmental resistance, resilience, and functional redundancy. This study highlighted the importance of preserving bacterial diversity in mining areas for ecosystem reconstruction and proposed the potential application of Basidiomycota in controlling heavy metal pollution in such environments.
{"title":"Soil Bacterial Communities Outperform Fungal Counterparts in Community Stability and Environmental Adaptation During Early‐Stage Vegetation Recovery in Mining Areas","authors":"Nana Zhou, Zhen Han, Jie He, Yaying Feng, Ruibo Zeng, Longshan Zhao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70438","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70438","url":null,"abstract":"The initial stage of vegetation recovery in post‐mining ecosystem represents a critical window for ecological restoration. However, the adaptive mechanisms of soil microbial communities during this period remain largely unclear. In this study, soils from an early restoration process in a mining area (restoration for 0, 1, 2, 3 years, and a control of CK) were analyzed to investigate changes in soil microbial diversity, community composition, assembly processes, and co‐occurrence network structure. The results indicated that during early recovery, there were no significant changes in the diversity and structure of soil bacterial and fungal communities, and the key dominant microbial phyla remained consistent. Stochastic processes played an important role in microbial community assembly in the mining areas, with drift particularly crucial in shaping the soil fungal community. While fungal communities showed a stronger association with environmental changes, the soil bacterial community became more stable and the co‐occurrence network became more complex in the early recovery stage, demonstrating stronger buffering capacity in mining environments with greater environmental resistance, resilience, and functional redundancy. This study highlighted the importance of preserving bacterial diversity in mining areas for ecosystem reconstruction and proposed the potential application of Basidiomycota in controlling heavy metal pollution in such environments.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145907952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiaofen Chen, Li Wan, Wenjing Qin, Guilong Li, Xianmei Jiang, Jun Xie, Changxu Xu, Jia Liu
A deep understanding of the impacts of long‐term application of Chinese milk vetch (CMV) on soil microbial community, dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition, and soil enzyme activities in paddy field is still lacking. A long‐term fertilization experiment has been conducted for 6 years (2016–2022) with four treatments in paddy field: no fertilizer (CK), chemical NPK fertilizers (NPK), CMV alone (CMV), and combined NPK with CMV (NPKM). We investigated the molecular fingerprinting of DOM using ultrahigh‐resolution FT‐ICR mass spectrometry under these treatments. Microbial communities and life history strategies (r/K‐strategy) were characterized through high‐throughput sequencing approaches. Results showed that NPKM treatment significantly increased DOM molecular richness and proportion of labile DOM (LDOM) components (such as carbohydrates and proteins/amino sugars‐like compounds), whereas NPK treatment increased recalcitrant DOM (RDOM) proportions. Bacterial diversity and richness were enhanced by NPKM, while NPK promoted fungal diversity. Notably, CMV application reduced polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity while increasing β‐xylanase (BX), β‐glucosidase (BG), and cellobiohydrolase (CBH) activities. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS‐PM) revealed significant interactions between DOM composition and microbial communities, where LDOM favored r‐strategists that enhanced enzyme activities for labile organic matter decomposition (BX, BG, and CBH), while RDOM promoted K‐strategists that increased PPO activity.
{"title":"Long‐Term Chinese Milk Vetch Application Alters the Molecular Composition of Dissolved Organic Matter Through Reshaping Microbial Ecological Strategists","authors":"Xiaofen Chen, Li Wan, Wenjing Qin, Guilong Li, Xianmei Jiang, Jun Xie, Changxu Xu, Jia Liu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70399","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70399","url":null,"abstract":"A deep understanding of the impacts of long‐term application of Chinese milk vetch (CMV) on soil microbial community, dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition, and soil enzyme activities in paddy field is still lacking. A long‐term fertilization experiment has been conducted for 6 years (2016–2022) with four treatments in paddy field: no fertilizer (CK), chemical NPK fertilizers (NPK), CMV alone (CMV), and combined NPK with CMV (NPKM). We investigated the molecular fingerprinting of DOM using ultrahigh‐resolution FT‐ICR mass spectrometry under these treatments. Microbial communities and life history strategies (r/K‐strategy) were characterized through high‐throughput sequencing approaches. Results showed that NPKM treatment significantly increased DOM molecular richness and proportion of labile DOM (LDOM) components (such as carbohydrates and proteins/amino sugars‐like compounds), whereas NPK treatment increased recalcitrant DOM (RDOM) proportions. Bacterial diversity and richness were enhanced by NPKM, while NPK promoted fungal diversity. Notably, CMV application reduced polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity while increasing β‐xylanase (BX), β‐glucosidase (BG), and cellobiohydrolase (CBH) activities. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS‐PM) revealed significant interactions between DOM composition and microbial communities, where LDOM favored r‐strategists that enhanced enzyme activities for labile organic matter decomposition (BX, BG, and CBH), while RDOM promoted K‐strategists that increased PPO activity.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145902298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Guanjun Li, Qianru Wang, Runa Zhang, Xiangxiang Wang, Shuai Ding, Liang Wei, Shuang Wang, Jianping Chen, Tida Ge, Zhenke Zhu
The chemical characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) play a key role in soil nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. However, the effects of different vegetation types and park ages on soil DOM in urban ecosystems remain poorly understood. This study assessed the influence of two vegetation types, lawn and integrated tree‐turf systems, on the chemical characteristics of soil DOM across three park age groups (young: 5–10 years, intermediate: 11–20 years, and old: > 21 years) in Ningbo city in eastern China. DOM chemical characteristics were analyzed using UV–visible absorption and fluorescence excitation emission matrix‐parallel factor analysis. Results showed that both vegetation type and park age significantly influenced the chemical properties of soil DOM. The highest soil dissolved organic carbon content (0.82 ± 0.15 g kg −1 ) was found in integrated tree‐turf systems in the oldest parks. Specific ultraviolet absorbance‐254 values < 3, humification index values < 1, and biological index values mostly < 1, alongside protein‐like (C2) substances comprising 38%–51%, indicated low humification, weak aromaticity, and pronounced autochthonous characteristics. As park age increased, more humic‐like DOM (C1) content was found in integrated tree‐turf system soils, while protein‐like substances decreased. In contrast, protein‐like substances dominated DOM in lawn soils. pH and soil moisture significantly affected DOM chemical characteristics. These findings enhance our understanding of the factors shaping DOM in urban green space soils.
土壤溶解有机质（DOM）的化学特性在土壤养分循环和固碳中起着关键作用。然而，不同植被类型和公园年龄对城市生态系统土壤DOM的影响尚不清楚。本研究评估了两种植被类型（草坪和树草皮综合系统）对宁波市3个公园年龄群（年轻：5-10年，中间：11-20年，年老：21年）土壤DOM化学特征的影响。采用紫外-可见吸收和荧光激发发射矩阵-平行因子分析法分析DOM的化学特性。结果表明，植被类型和林龄对土壤DOM的化学性质有显著影响。土壤溶解有机碳含量最高（0.82±0.15 g kg - 1）的是最古老公园的树草皮系统。特定紫外线吸收度- 254值<； 3，腐殖化指数值<； 1，生物指数值大部分<； 1，以及蛋白质样（C2）物质占38%-51%，表明腐殖化程度低，芳香性弱，具有明显的本土特征。随着公园树龄的增加，树木-草坪系统土壤中腐殖质样DOM （C1）含量增加，蛋白质样物质含量减少。而在草坪土壤中，DOM以蛋白质样物质为主。pH和土壤湿度显著影响DOM的化学特性。这些发现增强了我们对城市绿地土壤DOM形成因素的理解。
{"title":"Influence of Vegetation Type and Park Age on Soil Dissolved Organic Matter Composition in Subtropical Urban Parks","authors":"Guanjun Li, Qianru Wang, Runa Zhang, Xiangxiang Wang, Shuai Ding, Liang Wei, Shuang Wang, Jianping Chen, Tida Ge, Zhenke Zhu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70333","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70333","url":null,"abstract":"The chemical characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) play a key role in soil nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. However, the effects of different vegetation types and park ages on soil DOM in urban ecosystems remain poorly understood. This study assessed the influence of two vegetation types, lawn and integrated tree‐turf systems, on the chemical characteristics of soil DOM across three park age groups (young: 5–10 years, intermediate: 11–20 years, and old: > 21 years) in Ningbo city in eastern China. DOM chemical characteristics were analyzed using UV–visible absorption and fluorescence excitation emission matrix‐parallel factor analysis. Results showed that both vegetation type and park age significantly influenced the chemical properties of soil DOM. The highest soil dissolved organic carbon content (0.82 ± 0.15 g kg <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ) was found in integrated tree‐turf systems in the oldest parks. Specific ultraviolet absorbance‐254 values < 3, humification index values < 1, and biological index values mostly < 1, alongside protein‐like (C2) substances comprising 38%–51%, indicated low humification, weak aromaticity, and pronounced autochthonous characteristics. As park age increased, more humic‐like DOM (C1) content was found in integrated tree‐turf system soils, while protein‐like substances decreased. In contrast, protein‐like substances dominated DOM in lawn soils. pH and soil moisture significantly affected DOM chemical characteristics. These findings enhance our understanding of the factors shaping DOM in urban green space soils.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145902297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Differences in farmland scale led to variations in agricultural practices and management, which in turn influence the direction and rate of changes in soil organic matter (SOM). This study collected 574 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) from the Youyi Farm in a typical black soil region of Northeast China. Cloud‐free Landsat images from 1984 to 2023 were obtained via Google Earth Engine and bare soil images were synthesized in 10‐year intervals. The study area was classified using the K‐means clustering algorithm to construct a two‐cluster probabilistic hybrid model, enhancing the accuracy of SOM predictions. Finally, SOM spatial distribution data were obtained for each 10‐year period to evaluate the impact of different farmland scales on SOM variation. The results showed that: (1) using a probabilistic hybrid model effectively improved the prediction performance of SOM, with R2 reaching 0.71, RMSE at 0.76% and RPD at 1.96. (2) Over the past 40 years, SOM content at Youyi Farm has shown an overall downward trend, with the average SOM content decreasing from 3.57% ± 0.65% to 3.51% ± 0.58%. Negative changes in SOM were observed in 67.15% of the farmland. (3) SOM decreased most slowly when field sizes ranged from 180 to 210 ha in the study area, as both excessively large and excessively small farmland scales accelerated SOM decline. Future conservation of black soil and intensive agricultural land use should consider rational planning of farmland scale.
{"title":"Effects of Farmland Scale on Soil Organic Matter Change in Black Soil Areas of China in the Past 40 Years","authors":"Yu Zhang, Chong Luo, Yuxin Ma, Depiao Kong, Yihao Wang, Wenqi Zhang, Huanjun Liu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70432","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70432","url":null,"abstract":"Differences in farmland scale led to variations in agricultural practices and management, which in turn influence the direction and rate of changes in soil organic matter (SOM). This study collected 574 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) from the Youyi Farm in a typical black soil region of Northeast China. Cloud‐free Landsat images from 1984 to 2023 were obtained via Google Earth Engine and bare soil images were synthesized in 10‐year intervals. The study area was classified using the K‐means clustering algorithm to construct a two‐cluster probabilistic hybrid model, enhancing the accuracy of SOM predictions. Finally, SOM spatial distribution data were obtained for each 10‐year period to evaluate the impact of different farmland scales on SOM variation. The results showed that: (1) using a probabilistic hybrid model effectively improved the prediction performance of SOM, with <jats:italic>R</jats:italic> <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> reaching 0.71, RMSE at 0.76% and RPD at 1.96. (2) Over the past 40 years, SOM content at Youyi Farm has shown an overall downward trend, with the average SOM content decreasing from 3.57% ± 0.65% to 3.51% ± 0.58%. Negative changes in SOM were observed in 67.15% of the farmland. (3) SOM decreased most slowly when field sizes ranged from 180 to 210 ha in the study area, as both excessively large and excessively small farmland scales accelerated SOM decline. Future conservation of black soil and intensive agricultural land use should consider rational planning of farmland scale.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"128 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145897273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Quanchao Zeng, Man Hu, Tangyingze Mei, Ruifeng Chen, Jun Li, Lianhao Zhou, Quan Zhou
Glomalin‐related soil proteins (GRSPs) play a vital role in the stabilization of soil organic carbon (SOC); however, their long‐term dynamics under intensive cultivation remain poorly understood in citrus orchard ecosystems. In this study, we studied GRSP contents and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities in natural forest soils and citrus orchards cultivated for 10, 20, and 30 years. The results showed that natural forest soils had the highest content of total GRSP (T‐GRSP), significantly exceeding that in citrus orchard soils irrespective of planting duration. AMF Shannon and Simpson indices in the 20‐ and 30‐year‐old citrus orchard soils were markedly lower than that in the 10‐year‐old orchards and natural forest soils. Hierarchical clustering further indicated a distinct gradient in AMF community composition across different land‐use types and cultivation years, with the AMF community in natural forest soils being clearly separated from that in citrus orchards. Paraglomus and Glomus dominated the AMF genera, showing opposite trends of variation with increasing planting years. The relative abundance of Paraglomus increased significantly with planting duration and stabilized in the 20‐ to 30‐year‐old soils, whereas Glomus was more abundant in the 10‐year‐old soils than in the older orchards. Variation partitioning analysis revealed that T‐GRSP content was jointly regulated by AMF and basic soil properties. Soil factors (pH and SOC) alone explained 29.3% of the variation in T‐GRSP, while AMF diversity, community composition, and the dominant genus Paraglomus and Glomus together explained 21.6%. These findings highlight the pivotal role of T‐GRSP in enhancing SOC storage and stabilization under long‐term, intensive citrus cultivation. Moreover, this integrative study provides new insights into the ecological mechanisms driving AMF community assembly and their functional contributions to soil carbon processes.
{"title":"Temporal Variation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Glomalin‐Related Soil Proteins in Citrus Orchards of Different Planting Durations","authors":"Quanchao Zeng, Man Hu, Tangyingze Mei, Ruifeng Chen, Jun Li, Lianhao Zhou, Quan Zhou","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70380","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70380","url":null,"abstract":"Glomalin‐related soil proteins (GRSPs) play a vital role in the stabilization of soil organic carbon (SOC); however, their long‐term dynamics under intensive cultivation remain poorly understood in citrus orchard ecosystems. In this study, we studied GRSP contents and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities in natural forest soils and citrus orchards cultivated for 10, 20, and 30 years. The results showed that natural forest soils had the highest content of total GRSP (T‐GRSP), significantly exceeding that in citrus orchard soils irrespective of planting duration. AMF Shannon and Simpson indices in the 20‐ and 30‐year‐old citrus orchard soils were markedly lower than that in the 10‐year‐old orchards and natural forest soils. Hierarchical clustering further indicated a distinct gradient in AMF community composition across different land‐use types and cultivation years, with the AMF community in natural forest soils being clearly separated from that in citrus orchards. <jats:italic>Paraglomus</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Glomus</jats:italic> dominated the AMF genera, showing opposite trends of variation with increasing planting years. The relative abundance of <jats:italic>Paraglomus</jats:italic> increased significantly with planting duration and stabilized in the 20‐ to 30‐year‐old soils, whereas <jats:italic>Glomus</jats:italic> was more abundant in the 10‐year‐old soils than in the older orchards. Variation partitioning analysis revealed that T‐GRSP content was jointly regulated by AMF and basic soil properties. Soil factors (pH and SOC) alone explained 29.3% of the variation in T‐GRSP, while AMF diversity, community composition, and the dominant genus <jats:italic>Paraglomus</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Glomus</jats:italic> together explained 21.6%. These findings highlight the pivotal role of T‐GRSP in enhancing SOC storage and stabilization under long‐term, intensive citrus cultivation. Moreover, this integrative study provides new insights into the ecological mechanisms driving AMF community assembly and their functional contributions to soil carbon processes.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145897277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
China's Grain for Green Program (GGP) represents the world's largest ecological restoration initiative, converting agricultural land to forests across 25 provinces since 1999. This study evaluates the cost‐effectiveness of the GGP in contributing to carbon neutrality goals through a comprehensive analysis of three key provinces: Shaanxi, Gansu, and Sichuan. Using multi‐temporal satellite datasets including MODIS forest‐area data (2001–2023), NDVI measurements (2000–2023), ESRI land‐use/land‐cover data (2017–2023), canopy‐height maps, and above‐ground biomass estimates (2007–2022), we quantify forest‐restoration outcomes and economic performance. Results show forest area increased from 135,434.5 km 2 (2001) to 195,443.9 km 2 (2023), with NDVI improving from 0.55 to 0.632. Cost–benefit analysis reveals positive net benefits of 637.2 billion RMB nationally, with average benefits of 60.17 × 10 3 RMB ha −1 year −1 . Carbon sequestration costs averaged approximately 11 USD/tCO 2 , significantly below current carbon pricing of 13.37 USD/tCO 2 in China's national emissions‐trading system. GIS spatial analysis identifies optimal restoration zones where ecological benefits exceed implementation costs. The program demonstrates that large‐scale forest restoration can achieve cost‐effective carbon sequestration while delivering substantial co‐benefits for rural development and ecosystem services. These findings provide crucial evidence for scaling nature‐based solutions to meet China's carbon neutrality commitments by 2060.
中国的退耕还林工程（GGP）是世界上规模最大的生态恢复工程，自1999年以来在25个省份实施了退耕还林工程。本研究通过对陕西、甘肃和四川三个重点省份的综合分析，评估了GGP在促进碳中和目标方面的成本效益。利用MODIS森林面积数据（2001-2023年）、NDVI测量数据（2000-2023年）、ESRI土地利用/土地覆盖数据（2017-2023年）、冠层高度图和地上生物量估算（2007-2022年）等多时段卫星数据集，我们量化了森林恢复的结果和经济效益。结果表明：森林面积从2001年的135,434.5 km 2增加到2023年的195,443.9 km 2， NDVI从0.55提高到0.632；成本效益分析显示，全国净效益为6372亿元，平均效益为60.17 × 10.3元/年−1。碳固存成本平均约为11美元/tCO 2，大大低于目前中国国家排放交易体系中13.37美元/tCO 2的碳定价。GIS空间分析确定了生态效益超过实施成本的最佳恢复区域。该计划表明，大规模的森林恢复可以实现具有成本效益的碳封存，同时为农村发展和生态系统服务带来巨大的共同利益。这些发现为推广基于自然的解决方案以实现中国到2060年的碳中和承诺提供了重要证据。
{"title":"Cost‐Effectiveness of Land Restoration Policies for Carbon Neutrality: Evidence From China's Reforestation","authors":"Shuwei An","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70408","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70408","url":null,"abstract":"China's Grain for Green Program (GGP) represents the world's largest ecological restoration initiative, converting agricultural land to forests across 25 provinces since 1999. This study evaluates the cost‐effectiveness of the GGP in contributing to carbon neutrality goals through a comprehensive analysis of three key provinces: Shaanxi, Gansu, and Sichuan. Using multi‐temporal satellite datasets including MODIS forest‐area data (2001–2023), NDVI measurements (2000–2023), ESRI land‐use/land‐cover data (2017–2023), canopy‐height maps, and above‐ground biomass estimates (2007–2022), we quantify forest‐restoration outcomes and economic performance. Results show forest area increased from 135,434.5 km <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> (2001) to 195,443.9 km <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> (2023), with NDVI improving from 0.55 to 0.632. Cost–benefit analysis reveals positive net benefits of 637.2 billion RMB nationally, with average benefits of 60.17 × 10 <jats:sup>3</jats:sup> RMB ha <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> year <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> . Carbon sequestration costs averaged approximately 11 USD/tCO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> , significantly below current carbon pricing of 13.37 USD/tCO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> in China's national emissions‐trading system. GIS spatial analysis identifies optimal restoration zones where ecological benefits exceed implementation costs. The program demonstrates that large‐scale forest restoration can achieve cost‐effective carbon sequestration while delivering substantial co‐benefits for rural development and ecosystem services. These findings provide crucial evidence for scaling nature‐based solutions to meet China's carbon neutrality commitments by 2060.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"399 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145897278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yanyan Xu, Bao Liu, Yanru Wen, Karl Auerswald, Zhenghu Ge, Donglai Gao, Xinhua Peng, Ting‐yong Li, Huimin Dai, Wenbin Wu
Soil erosion is a severe form of land degradation that threatens food production, especially in Northeast China, where fertile Mollisols dominate the agricultural landscape. Most previous studies have quantified soil erosion by water, while wind erosion of severely water‐eroded areas with exposed loose subsoil remains rarely explored. Here, we present a wind tunnel experiment (75 measurements) with different wind velocities and aggregate size classes (< 53, 53–250, 250–850, and 850–2000 μm) to assess the wind erosion behavior of loose subsoil. Free‐stream wind velocities of 10, 12, 14, and 16 m s −1 resulted in shear velocities ranging from 0.15 to 0.75 m s −1 . The variation of shear velocity depended on the interaction between free‐stream wind velocity and the surface roughness as influenced by aggregate size ( R2 = 0.40). The maximum aggregate size was also a good predictor of threshold velocity ( R2 = 0.84). Moreover, mass flux at higher elevations increased with wind velocity for both the 53–250 and 250–850 μm groups, whereas near‐bed behavior varied by aggregate size. The second‐finest fraction (53–250 μm) always exhibited an obvious peak in mass flux with height. The peak height increased slightly from 3 to 5 cm with increasing wind velocity. The second‐coarsest fraction (250–850 μm) developed a pronounced peak height only at the highest wind velocity (16 m s −1 ). These wind tunnel experiments on sieved loose subsurface soil materials indicate potential wind‐driven transport. They also demonstrate that sever water erosion may additionally increase wind erosion and should be avoided to safeguard soil resources and food security.
土壤侵蚀是一种严重的土地退化形式，威胁着粮食生产，特别是在中国东北，肥沃的软土主导着农业景观。以往的大多数研究都量化了水对土壤的侵蚀，而对暴露松散底土的严重水蚀地区的风蚀研究却很少。在这里，我们提出了一个风洞实验（75测量）不同风速和骨料粒径（< 53, 53 - 250, 250-850和850-2000 μm）来评估松散底土的风蚀行为。自由流风速为10、12、14和16 m s - 1，导致剪切速度在0.15到0.75 m s - 1之间。剪切速度的变化取决于自由流风速和表面粗糙度之间的相互作用，并受骨料粒径的影响（r2 = 0.40）。最大骨料大小也能很好地预测阈值速度（r2 = 0.84）。此外，53-250 μm和250-850 μm组在高海拔处的质量通量随风速的增加而增加，而近层行为随团聚体粒径的变化而变化。次细颗粒（53 ~ 250 μm）的质量通量随高度的变化呈现出明显的峰值。随着风速的增加，峰高从3 ~ 5 cm略有增加。第二粗的部分（250-850 μm）仅在最高风速（16 m s - 1）时才出现明显的峰高。这些对筛过的松散地下土壤材料进行的风洞实验表明，潜在的风驱动运输。研究还表明，严重的水蚀可能会加剧风蚀，为保障土壤资源和粮食安全，应避免严重的水蚀。
{"title":"Effects of Wind Velocity and Aggregate Size on Wind Erosion Characteristics of Loose Subsoil From the Mollisols Region of China: A Wind Tunnel Assessment","authors":"Yanyan Xu, Bao Liu, Yanru Wen, Karl Auerswald, Zhenghu Ge, Donglai Gao, Xinhua Peng, Ting‐yong Li, Huimin Dai, Wenbin Wu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70412","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70412","url":null,"abstract":"Soil erosion is a severe form of land degradation that threatens food production, especially in Northeast China, where fertile Mollisols dominate the agricultural landscape. Most previous studies have quantified soil erosion by water, while wind erosion of severely water‐eroded areas with exposed loose subsoil remains rarely explored. Here, we present a wind tunnel experiment (75 measurements) with different wind velocities and aggregate size classes (< 53, 53–250, 250–850, and 850–2000 μm) to assess the wind erosion behavior of loose subsoil. Free‐stream wind velocities of 10, 12, 14, and 16 m s <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> resulted in shear velocities ranging from 0.15 to 0.75 m s <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> . The variation of shear velocity depended on the interaction between free‐stream wind velocity and the surface roughness as influenced by aggregate size ( <jats:italic>R</jats:italic> <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.40). The maximum aggregate size was also a good predictor of threshold velocity ( <jats:italic>R</jats:italic> <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.84). Moreover, mass flux at higher elevations increased with wind velocity for both the 53–250 and 250–850 μm groups, whereas near‐bed behavior varied by aggregate size. The second‐finest fraction (53–250 μm) always exhibited an obvious peak in mass flux with height. The peak height increased slightly from 3 to 5 cm with increasing wind velocity. The second‐coarsest fraction (250–850 μm) developed a pronounced peak height only at the highest wind velocity (16 m s <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ). These wind tunnel experiments on sieved loose subsurface soil materials indicate potential wind‐driven transport. They also demonstrate that sever water erosion may additionally increase wind erosion and should be avoided to safeguard soil resources and food security.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145894356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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